Dayton Flyers Logo
The University of Dayton first fielded a football team in 1905. They remained independent of athletic conferences for most of their history, including the period from 1977 to 1992 when they joined Division III of the NCAA . Beginning in 1993 they joined the Pioneer Football League in Division I-AA/FCS play as a founding member.
The Flyers have amassed a 687–377–25 (.642) record since 1905 and have won 2 National Championships as a member of Division III. UD has won 12 Conference Championships.
Seasons
National Champions †
Conference Champions *
Postseason Appearance ‡
Bowl Game Berth ^
Season
Head coach
Conference Affiliation
Season results
Playoff or Bowl result
Final ranking
Conference finish
Division finish
Wins
Losses
Ties[ 1]
STATS Poll[ 2]
Coaches Poll[ 3]
Dayton Flyers
1905
William Schoen
Independent
—
—
0
3
0
NCAA (1906 – 1955)
1906
Dr. J.G. Freshour
Independent
—
—
5
1
0
1907
—
—
0
4
0
1908
Matthew Hill
—
—
7
0
1
1909
George Binlein
—
—
4
3
0
1910
Orville Smith
—
—
5
1
0
1911
Roland Bevan
—
—
3
3
1
1912
—
—
4
2
0
1913
Louis Clark
—
—
4
1
1
1914
Alfred McCray
—
—
2
2
0
1915
—
—
3
2
0
1916
—
—
4
3
0
1917
Louis Clark
—
—
7
2
0
1918
—
—
1
1
0
1919
Harry Solimano
—
—
2
2
0
1920
Bud Talbott
—
—
2
4
0
1921
Charley Way /Bud Talbott
—
—
1
7
1
1922
Van F. Hill
—
—
6
3
0
1923
Harry Baujan
—
—
4
5
0
1924
—
—
7
3
0
1925
—
—
7
2
0
1926
Ohio Athletic
—
—
8
2
0
1927
—
—
6
3
0
1928
—
—
6
3
0
1929
—
—
4
5
0
1930
—
—
4
3
2
1931
—
—
5
3
2
1932
—
—
9
2
0
1933
—
—
7
2
1
1934
—
—
4
3
1
1935
Buckeye Athletic
—
—
4
4
1
1936
—
—
4
5
0
1937
—
—
7
2
0
1938
—
—
7
2
0
1939
Independent
—
—
4
4
1
1940
—
—
6
3
0
1941
—
—
7
3
0
1942
—
—
8
2
0
1946
—
—
6
3
0
1947
Joseph Gavin
—
—
6
3
0
1948
—
—
7
2
1
1949
—
—
6
3
0
1950
—
—
4
6
0
1951 ^
—
—
7
2
0
L Salad
1952
—
—
6
5
0
1953
—
—
3
5
1
1954
Hugh Devore
—
—
5
5
0
1955
—
—
3
6
1
NCAA University Division (1956-1972)
1956
Bud Kerr
Independent
—
—
4
6
0
1957
—
—
6
3
1
1958
—
—
2
8
0
1959
—
—
3
7
0
1960
Stan Zajdel
—
—
1
9
0
1961
—
—
2
8
0
1962
—
—
2
8
0
1963
Pete Ankney
—
—
1
7
2
1964
—
—
3
7
0
1965
John McVay
—
—
1
8
1
1966
—
—
8
2
0
1967
—
—
6
3
1
1968
—
—
5
5
0
1969
—
—
3
7
0
1970
—
—
5
4
1
1971
—
—
5
6
0
1972
—
—
4
6
1
NCAA Division I (1973-1976)
1973
Ron Marciniak
Independent
—
—
5
5
1
1974
—
—
3
8
0
1975
—
—
5
6
0
1976
—
—
4
7
0
NCAA Division III (1977-1992)
1977
Rick E. Carter
Independent
—
—
8
3
0
1978 ‡
—
—
9
2
1
L Division III Quarterfinals
1979
—
—
8
2
1
1980 †
—
—
14
0
0
W Division III Championship
1981 ‡
Mike Kelly
—
—
12
2
0
L Division III Championship
1982
—
—
6
4
0
1983
—
—
7
3
0
1984 ‡
—
—
10
1
0
L Division III Quarterfinals
1985
—
—
7
3
0
1986 ‡
—
—
10
1
0
L Division III First Round
1987 ‡
—
—
11
3
0
L Division III Championship
1988 ‡
—
—
9
2
0
L Division III First Round
1989 †
—
—
13
0
0
W Division III Championship
1990 ‡
—
—
11
1
0
L Division III Quarterfinals
1991 ‡
—
—
13
1
0
L Division III Championship
1992 ‡
—
—
10
1
0
L Division III Regionals
NCAA Division I-AA/FCS (1993–present)
1993 *
Mike Kelly
Pioneer
1st *
—
9
1
0
1994 *
T-1st *
—
8
2
0
1995
2nd
—
9
2
0
1996 *
1st *
—
11
0
0
1997 *
1st *
—
9
1
—
1998
2nd
—
6
4
—
1999 *
1st *
—
6
4
—
2000 *
T-1st *
—
8
3
—
2001 *
1st *
1st (North)
10
1
—
W PFL Championship
2002 *
1st *
1st (North)
11
1
—
W PFL Championship
Cup
2003
—
3rd (North)
9
2
—
2004
—
3rd (North)
7
3
—
2005
—
2nd (North)
9
1
—
2006
T-7th
—
4
6
—
2007 ^*
T-1st *
—
11
1
—
W Gridiron Classic
Cup
2008
Rick Chamberlin
T-2nd
—
9
3
—
2009 *
T-1st *
—
9
2
—
2010 *
T-1st *
—
10
1
—
25
25
2011
5th
—
6
5
—
2012
T-4th
—
6
5
—
2013
T-4th
—
7
4
—
2014
T-3rd
—
8
3
—
2015 ‡*
T-1st *
—
10
2
—
L FCS First Round
2016
2nd
—
9
2
—
2017
T-6th
—
5
6
—
2018
T-4th
—
6
5
—
2019
T-2nd
—
8
3
—
2020
No team[ a]
2021
Rick Chamberlin
Pioneer
T-5th
—
6
4
—
2022
3rd
—
8
3
—
Total
1
1
(.500)
(Bowl Games)
16
9
(.640)
(D-III Playoffs) 1977-1992
0
1
(.000)
(D-I FCS Playoffs) 1993-Present
701
384
25 (.643)
(all games)
Pre-2006 data taken from [ 5]
^ Due to COVID-19 , the Pioneer Football League suspended the fall 2020 football season. Dayton opted out of the spring season.[ 4]
Postseason facts
Years in Postseason: 12
DIII Post-Season Record: 16-9 (.640)
DI Post-Season Record: 0-1 (.000)
OVERALL PLAYOFF RECORD: 16-10 (.615)
Championships
National Championships: 2 (1980, 1989)
National Runner-Up: 3 (1981, 1987, 1991)
References
^ Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.Whiteside, Kelly (August 25, 2006). "Overtime system still excites coaches" . USA Today . Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2011 .
^ Since the 1978 split in divisions, the NCAA, or more recently, The Sports Network Archived 2011-05-03 at the Wayback Machine Poll, now known as the STATS Poll has been the major poll at the FCS level. Polls are released prior to the playoffs.
^ The FCS Coaches Poll Archived 2008-08-28 at the Wayback Machine was introduced in 2007. Therefore, polls for prior seasons do not exist. Polls are released prior to the playoffs
^ Purves, Michael (January 14, 2021). "Dayton Flyers opt out of spring Pioneer Football League season" . WHIO .com. Retrieved October 10, 2022 .
^ "Dayton Flyers History" (PDF) . Retrieved November 1, 2018 .
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